Clarice, we're all depending on you to fill those French folks up with hot dogs with nutrients that nurture the "only legitimate government is one that secures the unalienable rights" part of the souls of those French folks. That may sound like a tough task, but you're up to it!

Speaking of which, I've been watching the John Adams DVDs for the past couple of weeks, just a part here and there. What a great production. Wonderful unknown actors (at least to me), beautiful scenery, camera work, etc., based on McCullough's bio. I know most people here have probably seen it, but for anyone who hasn't, highly recommended.

Finally set up in the new Nantucket house and have all electronics working so I shall lurk no more. DoT should visit. We have wet bars on all levels. My neighbor and friend collects Martini glassware and has every gin known to man.

I know Clarice skipped to country to avoid storm damage, and I see Janet has posted so I trust she is OK? Our house in Maryland has trees down everywhere including two onto structures...and still no power or AC or FIOS. But what the hell, I'm not there!

So is Romney going to blow it or is Rick right about the coming deluge?

Well, I can certainly speak for the senators who are in the Republican conference today. Without exception, I am confident that they all want to repeal and start over. We’ve had that vote, by the way. In 2011, every single Republican senator voted for it. My view is that we should try to have that vote again before the election. And I would anticipate that my conference would be where it was in 2011 when we had the vote for repeal.

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News today, Senator McConnell put all … fears to rest. “I have said many times that if I’m the leader of the majority next year, I commit to the American people that the repeal of ‘Obamacare’ will be job one,” he reiterated. “That includes pursuing reconciliation. What people need to understand is that this is literally a fight for the future of our country and Democrats have proven during this debate that they will stop at nothing to protect this massive expansion of government into our lives and our health care. We need to be aware that this will take every ounce of our energy to accomplish.”

McConnell went on to explain that the fight would not stop with the election: “Our success is dependent upon the voices of the many who are concerned about Obamacare to get involved and stay involved. Do not shut up, do not sit down, do not be intimidated. Keep fighting with every ounce of energy you have. We’ll do the same. The road to repeal begins with a Republican Senate and Mitt Romney in the White House, but it won’t end for me until this historic mistake is wiped off the books for good.”

The flag is unfurled and flying proudly at the Max house. Read and reflect what one Scott Rasmussen has to tell you just yesterday:

Political conservatives are following the election more closely than moderates or liberals. Fifty-one percent (51%) of conservatives are following the race daily. Among moderates, 32% are that interested. Thirty-four percent (34%) of liberals are paying that much attention. Interest in a campaign is often a leading indicator of turnout.

In my ongoing freedom trek I went through my inbox and found an NRC report created at the request of NSF (Holdren's domain) that lays out quite graphically what the economic and politcal vision is for the 21st century in order to ensure sustainability.

Everything managed including the news. Consensus stories is what it mentioned. We would know only what we are supposed to know to be engaged in what are termed "crucial issues."

So here's to a country that still requires that such reports be publicly published even if it did have an innocuous title.

So celebrate today and let's get ready to explain to everyone involved with this administration why we are not "sociotechnical systems."

Yes that really was the term used. And henry--your favorite vendor oversaw the project. Everything run through IT.

Keith Hennessey is the first pundit to acknowledge anything passed via reconciliation can be repealed via reconciliation. Note also the Senate parliamentarian is the one who decides. McConnell better select this person wisely:

President Romney does not need 60 Republican senators to repeal core elements of ObamaCare. Democrats lost their 60th senate vote in early 2010 after Scott Brown took Edward Kennedy's seat. To bypass a Senate GOP filibuster and enact portions of ObamaCare, they used a special legislative procedure called reconciliation.

Reconciliation allows a bill to pass the Senate in a limited time period, with limited amendments, and with only 51 votes; filibusters are not permitted. In 2010, Democrats split their health-policy changes into two bills, one of which they enacted through this fast-track process. In 2013, a Republican majority could use the same reconciliation process to repeal those changes.

I borrowed this quote from Powerline. It's from the speech Calvin Coolidge gave on the 150th anniversary of the Declaration.

About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.

Something known to all practitioners of Robert's Rules: Although many motions require super majorities, that is only a matter of the integrity of the members. And having the chair is vital. Normally it requires a 2/3 vote to uphold a motion to suspend the rules. However, when challenging the chair, it requires only a majority to uphold the ruling of the chair. So if the chair rules "I don see no steenkin rule dat we're violatin" and a majority vote along with the chair, then the rules are overturned.

That's how they passed Obamacare after Brown was elected and without the Stupek caucus -- the combination of reconciliation and "deeming passed." In the Obamacare process Congress really degraded itself. Yes, the precedent is there to repeal it through the same depredations that passed it, but it would be SO much better to elect 60 senators and win a cloture vote on the repeal. It would be even better to have some Democrats vote in favor of repeal.

I want to know what type of hold ValJar has over the JEF. She's probably a BFD to the gutter trash thugs in Shitcargo, of which the SCoaMF is one, but her lashing Stedman to the mast of the USS Toonces just shows what an ultimate small timer she is.

John Adams' thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence should be remembered.He penned them shortly before his demise.

"My best wishes, in the joys, and festivities, and the solemn services of that day on which will be completed the fiftieth year from its birth, of the independence of the United States: a memorable epoch in the annals of the human race, destined in future history to form the brightest or the blackest page, according to the use or the abuse of those political institutions by which they shall, in time to come, be shaped by the human mind."

Thomas Jefferson was more sanguine:

"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government... All eyes are opened or opening to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few, booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others; for ourselves, to let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."

Both men died on July 4, 1826, and we should take their words to heart. Happy 4th, all.

Mitch McConnell in his own words. Looks like reconciliation it is. Need to get him enough Republican Senators that we dont have to worry about a Collins or a Murkowski refusing to do the will of the people:

Well, I don’t know how they got that comment out of what I had to say. Let me give you my view, clearly and unambiguously. Repeal of Obamacare will be the first item up in the Senate if I am majority leader. If we have a president who will sign the bill, we will do everything we can to get it off the books, and we’ll be looking for every angle that could be pursued. There has been a lot of talk about reconciliation. The Chief Justice said this is a tax, and we take him at his word, so that certainly makes this eligible for reconciliation. But that may not be the only avenue that we pursue. Our goal will be to get it off the books. In my view, it is the single worst piece of legislation that has been passed in modern times, and I’ve said that on numerous occasions. It’s still my view. And just because the Supreme Court has decided it is constitutional doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.

Both quotes (of Adams and Jefferson) remind us that the founders were keenly aware of how important it was to the rest of the world for the American experiment to succeed. It is as important today to turn back the forces of socialism and collectivism and "be to the world . . . the signal of arousing men to burst the chains. . . ."

why on earth is Big Pharma in favor of Obamacare? Have they lost their minds? They have to know they'll be squeezed dry.

I'll take a stab at answering...

The error here is thinking of "Big Pharma" as being some sort of actual entity with immutable characteristics. What it is, like every big business, is a collection of stockholders and a collection of employees, all together working on some tasks, any of whom can leave at any time.

Medical technology is a pipeline, 17 years long. At the time of a discovery, the company gets a patent, which produces revenue for 17 years. The company uses the revenue to produce more patentable discoveries if and only if there is a reasonable expectation that they will be allowed to collect the revenues that they have earned. When the pipeline works, as it has worked for the entire history of the Constitution, incredibly expensive discoveries are made, 17 years worth of revenues makes money to pay for the next things in the pipeline, and at the end of the 17 years the drugs are virtually free. Virtually free to Americans and to every human on the planet. (Trivia quiz -- what is the only right mentioned in the Constitution as opposed to the Bill of Rights? Patent and copyright.)

What is the Obamacare quid pro quo? The HHS secretary writes rules that say that everyone is entitled to expensive patented drugs with no co-pay even for drugs where the 17 years are up and 99.9% of all patients will do just as well on the $6/month generics. Human nature being what it is, without the discipline of prices everyone thinks that they are "special" and deserve the patent drugs rather than taking the generics like the hoi polloi. The revenues for 100 million women taking $250/month birth control when 99,900,000 of them would have done great on the $6/month pills is a stunning amount of money that will bankrupt us all. And that's before everybody is allowed to turn up their noses at generic statins and the pharma companies get outrageous amounts of revenue on long-ago paid for cholesterol drugs.

In exchange for overpaying for drugs that have already come out of the "free" end of the pipeline, the government stops paying for new drugs. You see new drugs are a terrible threat to socialist states. Because new drugs can only be paid for by the prosperity of free economies. So when some pharma company comes up with some great new breast cancer drug, all those British women want it, and they want it NOW, not in 17 years when it goes out of patent and the NHS can afford to pay for it. If you can just get pharma to stop creating new drugs then patients in socialized medicine can't demand the drugs that don't exist.

Pharmaceutical companies have a fiduciary responsibility to their stockholders (you know, your retirement savings) to maximize return on investment. So the Obamacare bribe is this: we'll overpay you for the old already-paid-for technology, but we won't pay for new stuff. It's a LOT of money in those bribes: sell out your future for a lot of money now. Pharma companies are businesses -- they are OBLIGATED to take the bribe.

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

We are in the midst of altering this Government as we speak. Support your local Tea Party.

I wish I could refute one thing of what you said, Jane. It's bad enough his deadbeat father abandoned him; but then when his nympho mother did the same thing, did ValJar serve as the matriarch he never had? He needs to be in counseling for the rest of his life; preferably in a supervised environment.

Yeah what a crying shame poor people have to die for 20 years before the drug that could save them becomes cheap enough to afford. How can such a system be tolerated when there are rich people with too much money.

Much better the rich and poor should wait forever because the US postal service will be in charge of developing life saving drugs. Fairness!

Today at the 4th of July Parade in Flagler Beach. Our Cub Scout Pack getting ready to march. Frederick is carrying the Pack flag with participation ribbons. He's a first year Webelos.

Happy Birthday America.

After the parade went to Publix for hot dog buns. Not a one to be found either in the commercial aisle or the bakery. So, we made hoagies for lunch and doing London Broil with Sweet Potato fritters tonight on the "barbie". Fireworks on the beach.

Ben-They are referring to the corrupt relationship between the British Govt and the East India Company.

It went on for centuries.

They had a point which is why they worried about Corporatism so.

Having just read a description of the planned reins to be given to tech companies to manage all that data to be necessary to manage the US economy centrally through govt officials to ensure Sustainability, again I see their point.

TJ was a political visionary but he was also ultimately a bankrupt. Stick to what he was good at. Appreciate there was reason for his bitterness at financiers. He lived at their mercy.

In the last week the Obama Administration has trotted out a number of surrogates, including Nancy Pelosi, to explain that the penalty/tax/not-a-tax/mandate is directed at ONLY the "1%" (3.116 million people) of the "freeloaders" (where, depending upon the surrogate speaking, "freeloader" is defined, explicitly or implicity as those who go to the ER without healthcare insurance).

I thought that the three biggest classes of "freeloaders" (those who go to the ER without healthcare insureance) were 1) illegal immigrants (undocumented workers to the progs), 2) "poor people", and 3) young people, i.e., twenty-somethings.

Am I receiving the Obama message correctly that Democrats only want to penalize "undocumented workers," "poor people," and people like Sandra Fluke? (Betcha Sandra's not going to be too happy to learn that she's got to pay something like a $2,500 up-front penalty for her "free" birth control pills!)

I must be wrong, so I'd like to ask DublinDave, BunkerBuster, and/or Ben Franklin to explain to me where my thinking has gone wrong. Or more specifically, just exactly who are the "freeloaders" that the surrogates are saying are the problem, and how do they represent 3.116 million people?

Naw. She feeds his narcissism, tells him he's very cool and not to worry his little head about things because she will take care of it. Then she and Michelle decide how to screw us today while they plan their next outing.

I must be wrong, so I'd like to ask DublinDave, BunkerBuster, and/or Ben Franklin to explain to me where my thinking has gone wrong. Or more specifically, just exactly who are the "freeloaders" that the surrogates are saying are the problem, and how do they represent 3.116 million people

Gosh,just being refered to as "dublindave' and not'dudu' or 'doubledouche' is kind of touching and I thank you for extending me that respect on this very special holiday.

Happy 4th of July.

You know,when you think about it,'Independance day' is actually premised upon one of the greatest acts of ingratitude ever demonstrated by a people.Namely,the American people.The British fought to protect you all during the French wars and in return, all you had to do was pay a tinny tiny little tax to cover the cost of the war and what did you do you?You refused to pay and kicked out the very people whose men died in battle defending you.

So when you put it all together it's pretty clear to see that the founding fathers were the biggest freeloaders in History and that that spirit of 'freeloading' has sort of been imprinted in your DNA and carried into this constant battle NOT to pay taxes.

Pay your freakin taxes and pay your freakin health insurance and if you can't afford it we'll give you a Government credit,paid for by richer people who can afford it.

He is teriffic. I really admire his straight talk. Mitt could use a guy like Alan West.

Also liked how those 2 discussed Mitt's straightforward statement that the Supreme's say it is a Tax so it is a Tax. Fine. I can deal with that. I want clarity. I want it pinned down and consistent so we can move along on offense on the same page. That encourages me. Keep it up Mitt.

“But you must remember, my fellow-citizens, that eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty, and that you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing. It behooves you, therefore, to be watchful in your States as well as in the Federal Government.”

Cronyism is not capitalism. Cronyism is the opposite of capitalism. American capitalism is about markets, competition. “Rational” markets in which sellers compete; purchasers decide based on price, quality, service, brand. Cronyism, nepotism, elites reserving the goods for themselves -- This is the opposite, the antithesis of American capitalism. This is why we revolted in the first place.

((New Investment Tax Slated for 2012
Smartmoney.com - Jul 3, 2012
Bischoff: The recent Supreme Court health-care ruling paves the way for a 3.8% tax on investment income. By BILL BISCHOFF Through the end of 2012, the Bush tax cuts are locked in...))

Besides inventing the lightening rod, bifocals and urinary catheter, Ben Franklin apparently also invented what's known in modern day as the "cut 'n paste". While Dubs invented the 3rd 21st chromosome.

"Voters did not sign the poll books,
-Addresses were not given for new Registration
-Unmarked Ballots were pre-initialed,
-Ballot Bags busted open,
-Others were open and resealed with packing tape without explanation,
But to the victor it's no big deal:

"We've seen some minor irregularities, some technicalities that have to do with Ballot Bags and signatures on supplemental lists, but what we've really seen is just minor Election administration error."

I hope Waangaard keeps fighting, because if he doesn't it's bound to happen again. According to the story Voter ID has been overturned in Wisconsin by a Wisconsin Judge, so come November 6th it appears opportunities for Voter fraud will remain unchecked.

Oh my. Looks like the US Ambassador to Nairobi is in a little hot water (per Gateway Pundit).

Scott Gration, who had led the US embassy in Nairobi since February last year, stepped down late last week, citing “differences with Washington regarding my leadership style”.

It is understood that the State Department’s inspector general is preparing to release a scathing report on Mr Gration, who is a close ally of President Barack Obama, following an extensive internal inquiry.

The former Air Force major general is said to have shown a “confrontational” and eccentric style of micromanagement that caused low morale and complaints among embassy staff.

Mr Gration repeatedly engaged in battles with employees and, according to a report by Foreign Policy, threatened at one point to “shoot them in the head” if they did not comply

.

Sounds like he was taking the Chicago leadership style fully to heart.

So the EuroDeadBeats should be paying US "taxes" for saving them from the NAZIs.

Just finished watching the Directors cut of 'Saving Private ryan",have you?Another in a long line of American war movies depicting world war 2 being fought and won solely by the United states.

But look,it's your holdiay,enjoy it.Celebrate your 'freedom'(a uniquely American invention)....and you know....eat ten burgers and 20 hot dogs and drink beer and sit around like beached whales....whatever Americans do to celebrate kicking the Brits out for defending them in a time of war.

NOA (National Oceanic Administration) just came out with an Official Statement that declared that there are no such things as Mermaids.

That prompted Althouse to post a column asking the sensible question, "Why did the the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration bother to deny the existence of mermaids?"

"After all, there are many mythical things that the government doesn’t explicitly deny exist. The United States Bureau of Mines doesn’t issue statements clarifying that no dragons or trolls have been discovered in underground caves or mines, for example."

And commenter 4, Moose, comes in with this winner:

"Moose said...
Same people we depend on for climate change data. You know - just sayin'..."